News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-08-11
William S, Wood,

upcome of one who has depended, from
the source of necessity or otherwise, upon
his own resources as the material means
of making his way in the world, without
the aid of adventurous circumstances or
direct material assistance from the wealth
of relatives or friends, as Is too often the
case | think. L believe that the majority
of the successful men of this country are
what are termed 'selfmade men," if
such designation Is admissible The
pampered sons of the rich, reared in the
nursery and on beds of down, do not, as
rule, come to be strong men in the
professions, or the leading men in the
business or commercial world, who must,
to attain even moderate success, come In
contact with the world as 1t Is, outside of
the fiowery beds of ease and luxurious
comfort which the squanderer of patri-
mony may enjoy. | take this perhaps
somewhat far-fetched way of introduce
ing mention in these columns of Ver-
monter, William S. Wood, and as hint
as to how he has attained to what he is
to-day-by his own intrinsic courage and
capacity to dare and do, his energy, in
dustry, Conscientious and well formulat-
ed efforts. He was born at Fort Plain,
n. Y, in 1924. but went to Morristown,
Lamoille Co., VT, the home of his ances-
-
age. His ancestors were Vermonters
and well-known pioneer settlers i'll the
Green Mountain State. He lived in Nor
ristoWn and was reared in a house that
may now be seen from the Hyde Park
depot, known as the "Boardman place.
From his youth up to the age of II he
worked on farm summers, and during
the entire year, except about two months
of each year spent in the school there.
Subsequently he attended the academies
at johnson and Morrisville several terms,
in the spring and fall, taught school win
tiers and worked on farm summers; al
ways doing something and utilizing ev-
cry hour of his time. This is why |
made the reference to him that | did in
the outset. By this kind of training he
obtained an education of the practical
sort, such as the schools and school-mas-
tiers alone cannot furnish, as they can
make book students only, while this kind
of contact with the real and positive, the
reading from the ''books in the running
brooks. the sermons in the stones and
the good in everything," makes men fit
ted to meet men in actual business rela-
tons on an equal footing. He taught
school In Hyde Park and other places in
that section until the spring of 1851,
when he came to Chicago, landing here
among strangers and amid 4 sea of ex-
perience and enterprise, with borrowed
cash capital of five dollars! He engaged
in dry goods store during the summer,
receiving a consideration, if it can be
called such, of six dollars per month and
found" The following winter, having
made up his mind, | presume, that he
had not found his natural or proper ele-
ment, so to speak, he made a change of
hoc nd fn
Ill.,, Ga town plotted by his uncle. Willard
Wood, a lawyer, formerly of Morristown)
and taught school that winter; thence to
MetamOra, WOodfOrd County, and he
taught school most of the time during the
| ten succeeding years, in the meanwhile
| doing something else when not teaching,
| among other things taking the enroll
ment of the county on crutches, his right
knee having been injured by an accident
which resulted in floating CARTILAGE -
and has not been restored to its normal
condition to this day. In 1864 he came
to Chicago and has been here since, en-
gagged principally in the fire insurance
business, Coffice aew-at 16I LaSalle ST.
representing several SolId ana reliable
companies-The Sun, of London; Agri-
cultural, of WATERFOWL, n. y; Wash
ington Fire and Marine, of Boston; New
Hampshire, of Manchester; Traders. of
Chicago; Glens Falls, of New York
State, and German, of Peoria, Ill. He is
substantial citizen; man who leads
an even and natural life, prompt bust
ness, respected by all with whom he
comes in contact in business or other re-
lation, for his integrity and honorable
methods; and is friend of Vermont and
Its sons. of whom be is one, and YER
mont may justly be proud of him.
In l,,, Il
Hyde Park, daughter of DR.. Morse.
She died in 1858. and Mr.. Wood married
! second time, Mary II. Walpole, of
keesvllle, n. Y, an intelligent and ac-
compllshed woman, who is known in
Hyde Park. Mr.. w. is the father of six
children, four of whom are now living
George W., the eldest, by the first wife,
born in Hyde Park, is widower, his es-
Unable wife having died last winter-he
is in business with his father; Walpole
wood, another son, is promising young
| attorney here; the daughter, Jessie, is
| married and lives here; Edward G., the
youngest, recently graduated from the
West Division High School with honors,
is bright young man and was at the
head of his class as to merit and prof.
cheney; the daughter Katie, who married
q. ). Nutting, died last February, leav-
| ing bright child. She will be remem-
bered in Hyde Park and Morrstown.
MIR. Wood and family live at al Park
A'eilue' L. w. p.